durkin



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

' M. T. DUEKIN.

MACHINE FOR FORMING SHEET METAL.

Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

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(No Model.) '2.Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. T. DURKIN.

MACHINE FOR FORMING SHEET METAL.

No. 357,765. Patented Feb. 15, 1887;

WITNESSES INVENTOR 18S). ISM/M017 i 5 W. BY ATTOR YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MICHAEL T. DURKIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO I-IIMSELF AND JAMES WHITE, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHENE FOR FORMING SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,765, dated February 1 1887. Application filed November 4, 1886. Serial No. 217,980. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MIOHAEL T. DURKIN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, havein vented a new and Im- 5 proved Machine for Forming Sheet Metal, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved to machine for forming sheet metal. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the bed-piece. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the die-holders. Fig. 4. is a perspective view, partly in section, of one of the supports of the die-holders. Fig. 5

I 5 is a front elevation of the bed-piece and die holders. Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section and end elevation of one of the adjustingwedges. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the bed-plate. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are side ele- 2o vations of the dies. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of two of the dies with their faces in contact. Fig. 12 is a plan view. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a column base formed on my improved machine. Fig. 14: represents a molding formed on a reversed curve, and Fig. 15 shows an end and side view of the curved molded plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for forming straight or curved moldings in sheet metal by means of dies adapted to an ordinary drawing or foot press.

The invention consists of the combinations 3 5 of parts, including the construction of the same, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The upper die-holder, A, consists of a bar grooved longitudinally and provided with a 4,0 shank, a, adapted to the follower B of an ordinary press, 0. In one side of the die-holder are inserted setscrcws b, for clamping the die D in the groove of the holder. The die D is made of a flat bar of iron, steel, or other metal,

having formed upon the lower edge thereof the profile of the molding to be made.

On the bed-plate E, secured to the press 0, is formed a die-holder, A, which is similar in form to the die-holder A carried by the follower 13, and is provided with set-screws b, for

holding the die in the groove 0 of the holder A. At the forward end of the die-holder A an adjustable gage, F, formed of a bar of iron bent at right angles and provided with a slot, d, is clamped to the bed-piece by a bolt, 0, passing through the slot (Z, and provided with the wing-nutf. p

On opposite sides of the center line of the bed-plate Eare formed slots 99, parallel with the front edge of the plate, and curved slots h h are formed in the bed plate near the rear edge thereof. In each of four counterbored holes, 1', formed in the bed-plate E, on a line parallel with the front edge of the bed-plate, is placed an internally-threaded sleeve, j, provided with afiange, k, and extending down through a boss, Z, formed on the bottom of the bed-plate E,.and on the externally-threaded lower end of the sleeve j are placed two nuts, on, which keep the said. sleeve in its bearings in the bed-plate, and also serve for turning the sleeve. To the sleevcj are fitted the threaded rods a. Each rod is provided with an upwardly-convex head, 0, and extension 1).

To the extension 1) of each pair of rodsn are fitted the mortises q of the die-supports G, the said supports being provided with diagonal. slots 1*, for receiving pins .9, passing through the extension 1) of the rods 02. Die-supports G, provided with the threaded rods n and swiveled adjusting-sleeves j, are arranged in the bed-plate E, near the rear edge thereof, and parallel with the curved slots h h. It will thus be seen that upon each side of the die D are arranged two adjustable diesupports, G G, either of which may be inclined at any desired angle.

Upon opposite sides of the die-holder A are placed die-holders A A, which are similar in form to the die-holders A A, but provided 0 with slotted extensions 15, extending over the slots g g and h 71. and receiving bolts it, which also pass through the said slots 9 g h h in the bed-plate and serve to clamp the holders A A down upon the supports G G. The die- 5 holders A A are provided with set-screws b b, for clamping the dies, as in the other cases.

To the die-holder A is fitted a die, D,which is the counterpart of the die D. The dies D D are preferablycast from patterns formed of I00 a board of the proper dimensions by sawing through the board on a line corresponding to the profile of the molding to be made, thus at one operation forming a pattern for a pair of dies.

The operation of my improved sheet-metalforming machine is as follows: Dies D D of the required form having been clamped in the die-holders A A, and duplicates of the lower die, D, having been clamped in the die-holders A A the die-holders A A are adjusted at the angle required for forming the desired curve by adjusting the supports G G by means of the threaded rods 01 and internally-threaded sleeves j, as before described, and by inclining the holders A A at the required angle with the holder A, and then clamping the holders A A by means of the bolts a. The first steps of the operation are carried forward by a pair of dies having rounded angles and shallow depressions, as represented in Fig. 8, the work being moved forward between the dies as the upper die, D, is reciprocated by the action of the press. The sheet metal is passed between the dies, while the upper die is moved only enough to make a slight impression upon it, and the sheetis again and again passed through the Idics, the impression being deepened at each operation. The duplicatelower dies contained by the holders A A serve to guide the metal sheet in its passage through the press, and at the same time to impart to it the desired curvature. After the work has been carried as far as possible with the dies shown in Fig. 8 the pair of dies shown in Fig. 9 (having more acute angles and deeper depressions) are placed in the press and applied to the metal, and the work is finished by means of the dies shown in Fig. 10, which have the exact form of the finished molding.

\Vhen it is desired to form a curved molding the sheet metal will be cut in segmental form, and when it is desired to form the base or cap of a column it will also be cut in segmental form, and the die-holders A A will be arranged at a greater or less angle with the central die-holder, A, according to the requirements of the work. 7

If a greater inclination is required than can be produced by the adjustable supports G G, Wedges H (like that shown in detail in Fig. 6) are placed between the supports G G and the die-holders, the wedges being provided with grooveso in their under surfaces, adapted to receive the upper edges of the supports.

By means of my improvement the flat edges of the guiding-dies are presented to the curved surfaces of the work, so that the work is not indented by the corners of the said dies.

My improvement produces better I and cheaper work than can be produced by the ordinary machines or by hand.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In amachine for forming sheet metal, the combination, with the movable die D andfixed die D, of the adjustable guiding-dies D, arranged on opposite sides of the fixed die, and die-supports G, adapted to hold the guiding dies D, at an angle with the said fixed die, and with a line perpendicular to the bed E, so as to cause the working-faces of.the guidingdies to evenly support the work being formed by the dies, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for forming sheet metal,the combination of the movable die D, the fixed die D, the fixed die-holder A, gnidingdies D, the adjustable holders A A and the wedges H, for supporting the guiding-dies D in the position of use, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the holders A A of the supports G G, the screw-threaded adjusting-rods a, and the internally-threaded sleeves j, swiveled in the bed-piece E, substantially as described.

4. In a machineforforming sheet metal,,the combination of the movable die D, the fixed die D, the bed-piece E, provided with the fixed die-holder A and with slots 9 g h h, the internally-threaded sleeve j, swiveled in the bed-piece E, the threaded rods a, received in the said sleeves, the supports G G, resting on the rods a, the adjustable die-holders AAiand the bolts 11, passing through the die-holders and through the slots of the bed-piece, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for forming sheet metal, the combination of the movable die D, the fixed die D, the bed-piece E, provided with the fixed die-holder A and with slots 9 g h h, the internally-threaded sleeve j,swiveled in the bedpiece E, 'the threaded rods 91, received in: the said sleeves, the supports G G, resting on the rods a, the adjustable die-holders A A the wedges H, and the bolts to, passing through the die-holders and through the slots of the bed-piece, substantially as described.

MICHAEL T. DURKIN. 

